


When Meg Hit Theaters...

by LalaRose27



Category: Hollywood (TV)
Genre: (mentioned) - Freeform, Alternate History, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Past Character Death, Period-Typical Racism, but no one dies tragically, everyone dies because this is a history book
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23999146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LalaRose27/pseuds/LalaRose27
Summary: What would the film industry look like today if Meg hit theaters in the 50s? A film book from an alternative timeline reveals this as well as what happened to the cast and crew involved in the film.---Meg continues to be one the most important films in all of history. While today we recognize its flaws, we also continue to appreciate its greatness. Not only the plot and cinematography but also the cast and crew pushed America forward- and perhaps the rest of the world- into a modern era. Though the world had to catch up to the fictional world of Meg, life began to mimic art as more and more POC and LGBTQ+ people gained recognition in not only media but in the rest of America as well.
Relationships: Archie Coleman/Rock Hudson, Archie Coleman/Roy Fitzgerald, Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Raymond Ainsley/ Camille Washington
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	When Meg Hit Theaters...

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, I just wanted to imagine a world where Meg did hit theaters and Anna May Wong got the credit she deserved and Dreamland was a movie. I'm sure you agree.

_ Meg _ continues to be one the most important films in all of history. While today we recognize its flaws, we also continue to appreciate its greatness. Not only the plot and cinematography but also the cast and crew pushed America forward- and perhaps the rest of the world- into a modern era. Though the world had to catch up to the fictional world of Meg, life began to mimic art as more and more POC and LGBTQ+ people gained recognition in not only media but in the rest of America as well.

Raymond Ainsley, the director of Meg. Ainsley’s extensive list of films include  _ Agents of Shanghai _ ,  _ Dreamland _ ,  _ The First Twins _ ,  _ Lonely Destiny _ , and  _ The General _ . Ainsley moved to Los Angeles after WWII and met future actress and future wife Camille Washington not long after. Ainsley in half-Filippino on his mother’s side and acknowledges his white passing privilege. He stated during an interview, “ “When I was younger I felt that I was wearing a really convincing costume. As somebody who passes as white in a time when that is a socio-economic advantage, what does it mean when you’re given opportunities, and what is your responsibility to the people in your life who don’t have access to those opportunities? It is important to show these people in film, not only so people like me do not have to hide but also to visibly colored people to show that they can be great. I wanted to make sure people like us are not on the outside looking in.” His films, most notably,  _ Meg _ and  _ Agents of Shanghai _ were noted as turning points for Black and Asian representation in Hollywood, respectively. While Ainsley focused on race, his friendship with screenwriter Archie Coleman ensured lesbian, gay, and bisexual people were not excluded in his films either. Ainsley’s film,  _ Dreamland _ , portrays the first male same sex couple in film history. This level of representation- much less, great representation- was unheard of at this time.  Due to the nature and casting of his films, Ainsley was subject to threats, even becoming a victim to a KKK attack along with his wife. This event inspired the revenge thriller  _ Blackest Night _ which the couple co-directed. The film remains a cult classic. Ainsley has won three Oscars in his time for Best Director. Washington and Ainsley married in 1965, when interracial marriage was legalized in America. Ainsley had three children with Washington, Lucille May Ainsley (named after Anna May Wong), Richard Vincent Ainsley (better known by his stage name, Vince Washington), and Hattie Patrice Ainsley. Ainsley retired from directing and became president of Ace Studios. Ainsley was an active advocate for LGBTQ and Civil Rights. Ainsley would die in his sleep at the age of 88. Two days after his funeral, Washington would die in her sleep. Ainsley was recently portrayed by Darren Criss in the historical fiction film,  _ When Meg Became Peg _ , which portrayed a fictionalized account of the production of  _ Meg _ .

Archie Coleman was the screenwriter of Meg. Coleman originally based it on the suicide of Peggy Entswhistle, a white failed actress, but upon Camille Washington’s casting as well as some urging from the studio executives, Coleman changed the story to have a much more hopeful ending. Coleman was openly homosexual and in a long term relationship with actor, Rock Hudson. The two bravely showed their love the night Coleman won Best Screenwriter by walking into the award show together and kissing seconds before Coleman claimed his award. This decision had consequences as Coleman and Hudson became victims of hate crimes. Coleman was careful to write heterosexual romances into his films until the film  _ Dreamland _ , the first American film to feature a same-sex couple in the starring roles. Coleman’s friend, Jack Costello starred alongside Hudson. Coleman went on to write films. Coleman married Hudson in a civil service ceremony in Los Angeles. The couple were HIV/AIDs activists in the 1990s and Coleman wrote his last script about men who discover they have HIT titled,  _ Green Carnations _ which starred Hudson as the accepting father to one of the men. Hudson died in his sleep a year before Coleman died of a heart attack a month after his fifty-ninth birthday. There are a pair of rings engraved into the couple’s joint graves. Visitors leave behind green carnations on their grave, a symbol of homosexuality. The Coleman Theater was named after the screenwriter as well as the Coleman Writing Scholarship. Coleman was recently portrayed by Jeremy Pope in the historical fiction film,  _ When Meg Became Peg _ , which portrayed a fictionalized account of the production of  _ Meg _ .

Camille Washington was the star of  _ Meg _ and the first Black woman to star in a film. Washington moved to Los Angeles after WWII and met future director and future husband Raymond Ainsley not long after. Before Meg, Washington had only one acting credit as a maid, an experience she stated, ‘left her miserable and embarrassed because this was the only role she could get.’ Her luck changed when she was cast for the titular lead in  _ Meg _ . Washington won an Oscar for Best Actress for the film. Washington and Ainsley married in 1965, when interracial marriage was legalized in America. She gave birth to three children, Lucille May Ainsley, Richard Vincent Ainsley (better known by his stage name, Vince Washington), and Hattie Patrice Ainsley (named after Hattie McDaniel). While pregnant with her first daughter, Washington co-directed the film,  _ Artemesia Gentileschi _ which told the story of the titular artist’s life and infamous rape trial and made allusions to the sexual abuse in the Hollywood film industry. Washington is the first Black person to direct a major film because of this film. While filming Meg, Washington became friends with and mentee to actress Hattie McDaniel. The pair later starred in the film,  _ Lonely Destiny  _ which was about a pair of women who find themselves on the run after a corrupt justice system finds them guilty of murder. The film received backlash from the Hays Code for portraying America in a negative light. The film won Washington another Oscar for Best Actress. Washington and McDaniel starred in another film titled,  _ The First Twins _ , which won Best Screenplay and Best Actress for McDaniel. During her speech, McDaniel thanked Washington for her friendship and called her to the stage for a hug. Washington also advocated for LGBTQ and Civil Rights, befriending activists Martin Luther King jr. and Malcolm X. Washington was a victim of attacks from the KKK and was hospitalized. When she recovered, Washington co-directed and starred in  _ Blackest Night _ , a film about a woman taking down the KKK. Washington died in her sleep at the age of 85, two days after her husband’s funeral. Washington was recently portrayed by Laura Harrier in the historical fiction film,  _ When Meg Became Peg _ , which portrayed a fictionalized account of the production of  _ Meg _ .

Jack Costello was the male romantic lead in  _ Meg _ . Costello later starred in the film  _ Dreamland _ , the first film to explictly depict a male homosexual couple and was nominated for Best Actor. Costello himself was not homosexual but an advocate for LGBTQ rights due to his close friendship with screenwriter Archie Coleman and Rock Hudson. The following year after  _ Dreamland  _ he married his second wife and  _ Meg _ costar, Claire Wood. The couple had two children, Avery Carmilla Costello and Howard Roy Costello but amicably divorced two years later when Woods came out as a lesbian. The two remained close and Costello’s third wife, Lilly Towers, named Woods their only child’s godmother. Not long after the birth of his first son, newspapers spread word about Costello’s past as a male prostitute. Costello defended his actions, citing he did it to support his first wife at the time and follow his dreams of becoming a star. Since then he had also become an activist for Sex Worker Rights, however due to the conservative mindset at the time this was a field he spoke little for. Costello channeled his past in the film he starred and produced titled,  _ The Edge’s World _ , wherein Costello plays a male prostitute who falls in love with an actress. Costello starred in three more prominent films including  _ The General _ for which he won Best Actor. His powerful performance may have come from Costello’s past experience in the army as well as basing some scenes on the experience. He has a star on the Walk of Fame and the Jack Costello Theater was named in his honor. Costello died of a heart attack at the age of 77 after filming  _ The Third Male _ . Costello was portrayed by David Corsenswet in the historical fiction film,  _ When Meg Became Peg _ , which portrayed a fictionalized account of the production of  _ Meg _ .

Anna May Wong won her first and only Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in _Meg_. Before her role in the film, Wong was the only Chinese actress in Hollywood’s Silent Film Era. She fulfilled the role of Chinese caricatures while her white counterparts portrayed Chinese characters in yellow face. The biggest blow to her career was being passed over for the role of O-Lan, the Chinese lead, in _The Good Earth_ in favor of white actress Luise Rainer. Wong decided to travel China the following year and dedicate her time to raise money for China against Japan during WWII. After the war she was offered the part of Caroline in _Meg_ for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. The following film she starred in was _Agents of Shanghai_ as the lead and Ainsley as the director. The film follows Liu Tsong, played by Wong, an art dealer who finds herself dealing with international espionage while dealing with her dueling identities as an American and as a woman. This film did not earn her another Oscar but continues to be a cult classic among film critics as it was a turning point for Asian representation in Hollywood. It was the first all Asian cast in Hollywood with Phillip Ahn, who previously co-starred with Wong in _Daughters of Shanghai_ , sex symbol Sessue Hayakawa, and Rose Dolina. Ainsley and Wong continued to work on seven more projects together before Wong’s death. The two were close as Ainsley’s daughter, Lucille May Ainsley, was named after Wong. Wong was rumoured to have same sex lovers among her male lovers but this was never confirmed. Actress Marlene Dietrich once spoke of the two having relations with one another but Wong denied them, likely in fear of backlash. Wong died of heart attack at the age of 56. Wong has been depicted many times throughout media history. Michelle Kruseic played Wong in a 2005 miniseries, _Tinseltown_ , Gemma Chan portrayed Wong in the 2017 film _Anna_ , and Michelle Kruseic returned to the role of Wong in the historical fiction film, _When Meg Became Peg_ , which portrayed a fictionalized account of the production of _Meg_.

Claire Wood was the daughter of the heads of Ace Studios and co-star in  _ Meg _ . She had an onscreen romance with the lead, Jack Costello and married him two years later. In 1957, Woods came out as a lesbian. This decision slowed down her career as before this time, only male homosexuality was portrayed on screen. She retired from acting and became a producer for Ace Studios, passing on the opportunity to become the Head to friend and director of  _ Meg _ , Raymond Ainsley. Wood went on to produce hit horror films such as  _ Ready or Not _ and  _ Bathory  _ and the historical fiction film,  _ Julie d'Aubigny _ . These films were slammed by the Hays’ Code for including the sanctity of marriage not being upheld, references to sexual activity, and homosexual subtext between two women, respectively. An unedited copy of  _ Julie d’Aubigny _ was found on Woods’ estate after her death that made the homosexual relationship between the protagonists explicit, including a declaration of love between the characters. These films were also one of the first films to include the ‘Final Girl’ trope, a decision that would not become popular until the 1970s. Woods never married anyone after Costello and passed on her possessions to her children with him. Woods was recently depicted by actress Samara Weaving in the historical fiction film,  _ The Sewing Circle _ released in 2019. 

Before  _ Meg  _ was released, Disney Studios released the infamous  _ Song of the South _ , a film where life on the plantation was so good, the slaves never wanted to leave. Disney released their first black princess titled Princess and the Frog in 1977. In an attempt to subvert the well-known story, the main character, Tiana, is turned into a frog for the majority of the movie as she is not a real princess but an aspiring chef. This decision was met with mixed reviews as some were happy to see a black princess on screen while others were upset she was a frog the whole movie. Disney Studios later redeemed itself with Thakane, a 1987 animated film based on the South African myth of  _ Thakane _ , a daughter of a chief and slayer of dragons.  _ Thakane _ was a critical hit, earning one Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture and one Golden Globe win for Best Original Song, and a major win for second wave feminism at the time of its release. The next film to star a woman of color was  _ Mulan _ in 1998 which was about the fabled hero of China. Though the film was panned in China at the time for its inaccurate depiction of the tale, it is now considered a much beloved film in both China and the US. It was on the American Film Association’s 10 Greatest American Movies in 2008. Disney continues its trend of alternating between white princesses and princesses of color to this day.

Rose Dolina was a Filipino-American actress who starred in  _ Agents of Shanghai _ and  _ Ready or Not _ . Dolina was the daughter of Filipino immigrants and dreamed of being a star. Dolina was a second degree black belt as well as knowledgeable on various weapons which were put to use in her films. Her skills were portrayed in  _ Agents of Shanghai _ ,  _ Murder on Shakespeare’s Bridge _ , and  _ Legacy of the Valley _ . Dolina met Ainsley on the set of  _ Agents of Shanghai _ and married his cousin, Scott Mendoza. The two were happily married until Mendoza’s untimely death four years later. Dolina retired from acting after the death of her husband and as the threats against her grew. Instead, she focused on costume design for over several hundred films such as  _ Artemisia Gentileschi _ ,  _ The Door’s Visions _ ,  _ The Shadowy Hunter _ , and  _ The New Girl In Town  _ all of which was nominated for Best Costume. Today, Dolina is viewed as one of Hollywood’s most successful costume designers. May of Dolina’s costumes can be seen in the Museum of Modern Art. While Dolina was rumoured to have affairs with Anna May Wong, Claire Wood, and Edith Head, she denied them. Letters between herself and the women have been interpreted as both friendship and romance by historians. However, after the death of her husband she had female lovers including, comedian actress Ashley Penza and architect Michelle Webbings in addition to her romance with male actor, James Dean. Dolina died in a car crash in 1990.

Stephan Hamilton was the screenplay writer of film noirs such as  _ Dwindling Waves  _ and  _ Murder on Shakespeare’s Bridge _ . Hamilton worked under Archie Coleman for five years before writing  _ The Holiday Party _ , a murder mystery starring Rock Hudson, Camille Washington, Rose Dolina, and Ernie West. This was also West’s last film before his death. The film received high praise at the time but was not nominated for any awards. Hamilton wrote the screenplay  _ Murder on Shakespeare’s Bridge _ , a film that recieved backlash from the Hays Code for portraying the mafia in a positive light. It is seen as a cult classic today for its quotable dialogue and twist at the end. Hamilton also directed his first and only film,  _ Dwindling Waves _ . The film stars Camille Washington as a femme fatale who is investigated for the murder of her husband by police investigator portrayed by Humphrey Bogart. The film was nominated for Best Director. Afterwards Hamilton went back to screenwriting. Hamilton wrote the first film to portray drag queens in the film noir,  _ Rose in the Trainer _ which depicted three drag queens who infiltrate the Chicago mafia. Hamilton was openly gay but refused to disclose the identities of his partners except for fellow screenwriter, Alexander Jones. Hamilton and Jones adopted three children including producer Timothy Hamilton-Jones. Hamilton died in 1985 due to complications related to heart surgery. The Stephan Hamilton Scholarship at California Institute of Arts was named in honor of him.

Amira Bakkoush was the first Muslim woman to write and direct a Broadway musical titled,  _ Sword of Ashes _ in 1965. The musical was about a man’s journey to recover his family’s sacred sword from smugglers. The musical was short lived on Broadway but was produced by Timothy Hamilton-Jones for a 1977 film. The film stars Yousef Alaoui as the lead and Zoya Aydin, the first Muslim actress, as the romantic lead. The film won an Oscar for Best Original Musical.

Yousef Alaoui is a Muslim actor and played Omar, the hero of _ Sword of Ashes _ . Alaoui is the son of Moraccan immigrants. Alaoui attended school in France for most of his childhood and was inspired to become a singer after seeing  _ The Umbrellas of Cherbourg _ . Alaoui returned to America after graduation and spent his time in New York, looking for roles. He was cast as the understudy in the original  _ Sword of Ashes _ musical. Alaoui won a Tony for the part when the original actor retired. When Ace Studios bought the rights for the musical, Amira Bakkoush recommended him for the part. After Sword of Ashes, Alaoui co starred with Rock Hudson in the movie musical,  _ The Past of the Consort _ . Alaoui stayed in Hollywood for a few more years until it became clear he was not going to land another role. He returned to Broadway and collaborated with Bakkoush on various projects, even acting as producer for the musicals he could not star in. He and Bakkoush would later marry. Alaoui would retire to France where he died of lung cancer in 1997.

Zoya Aydin is a Muslim actress and played Sana, the romantic lead in  _ Sword of Ashes _ . She was the daughter of parents who immigrated from Egypt and Congo. She got her start in a local production of  _ Annie Get Your Gun _ . Aydin starred in one more Hollywood musical,  _ Thank God It’s Friday _ alongside singer Donna Summer before returning to Broadway. As a Muslim woman in a mostly Catholic country, Aydin recieved a lot of backlash and some death threats so many questioned why she stayed in the industry. “I never saw people like me on screen,” The actress said in an interview. “Even as I receive nothing but hatred now, I know in the future it will be worth it one day. Because one day the children seeing me on screen and on stage will be on the screen and stage with me.” Aydin was an accomplished dancer in addition to singing so she retired from Broadway to become a dance instructor at New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. Aydin died in May 2001 in her sleep.

As per the Hays Code, any romantic scene must depict a woman with at least one foot on the ground. This was to prevent any love scenes in bed. The film to change this was  _ Dreams in the Snake _ which was also the first film to star an all Latinx cast.  _ Dreams in the Snake _ was inspired by the screenwriter’s dreams when he first moved to Los Angeles. The film starred Ricky Rodriguez as the charming former soldier who seeks to become an actor while trying to support his wife, played by Millie Lopez, and daughter, played by Francesca Hernandez. At the end of the film, Lopez’s character jumps into the arms of her husband played by Rodriguez for landing a role in a film. Lopez is then carried bridal style to the bedroom as the credits roll. The scene was brief but enough to get Americans riled up. This was the last rule Ace Studios broke of the Hays code and the popularity of this film, in addition to other Ace Studios films, effectively made the Studio responsible for destroying the need for such a code.

The film was written by Alexander Jones, a half Brazilian screenwriter and partner of Stephan Hamilton. Jones was born in El Paso, Texas and worked as a grocery clerk until he had enough money to move to Los Angeles. Upon seeing  _ Meg  _ the screenwriter sent a copy of  _ Dreams in the Snake _ to Ace Studios and was contacted for a meeting. Archie Coleman and Stephan Hamilton helped Jones edit the script and Richard Ainsley directed it. Jones was a closested gay man until his partner announced the two wished to adopt children together. As gay men, they were prohibited from adopting so they fought for the right to raise a family in the trial of Hamilton and Jones v. The State of California. Following the adoption of his daughter, Jones wrote the screenplay for  _ The Bold Name _ , a family comedy depicting a gay couple traveling to adopt a daughter and trying to decide a name along the way.  _ Dreamland _ was the first film to star a same sex couple but that was through the gaze of male prostitution.  _ The Bold Name _ depicted the same sex couple in a much more accepting light. This is the first film to portray homosexuality in a positive, family friendly light. While Jones was known for his family friendly films at the time, today he is known for his film noirs such as _ Fallen Wind _ , _ The Missing Secret  _ and, _ Manor Doors _ for which he won an Oscar for Best Screenplay. Late in his life, Jones sold his house and had it converted to a museum for Latino artwork. Jones died in a car crash two days after his ninetieth birthday. His house, now the California Latino Museum of Art, still stands today.

Ricky Rodriguez was the lead in the film,  _ Dreams in the Snake _ . Rodiguez was the son of Brazillian immigrants Upon learning that co-star Francesca Hernandez was an orphaned runaway, Rodriguez took her in and later adopted her. Rumours spread that Rodriguez was taking advantage of Hernandez which forced the star came out as gay. Rodriguez experienced backlash for this, even receiving death threats. He, however, stayed calm during this because as he stated, “The words people are saying to me are no different than the words I have told myself throughout my life. The death threats are awful, I acknowledge that but upon revealing my truth I have discovered an entire community of people who love me. I have finally found a family.” Hernandez and he remained close until his death for which she was an usher. Rodriguez went on to star in other films such as  _ Fallen Wind _ , for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and  _ Rose in the Trainer _ , for which he won Best Supporting Actor. Rodriguez tried his hand at musicals and starred in  _ West Side Story _ . Rodriguez left Hollywood after his film,  _ The Missing Secret _ turned his attention to Broadway and starred in many musicals including the stage production of  _ West Side Story _ . Rodriguez never married but left his estate to Hernandez. Rodriguez died in 1993 of a heart attack. The Rodriguez Theater on Broadway was named in his honor.

Millie Lopez was the leading lady in  _ Dreams in the Snake _ . Lopez was born Emilie Lopez to a Puerto Rican immigrant family. Her agent made her change her name to Millie and was cast in servant roles. Lopez’s first acting credit was for the film,  _ The Spark of Angels _ as a servant girl. Millie fired her agent but kept the name and went to Ace Studios and was cast in  _ Dreams in the Snake _ . Lopez was close to co-stars, Ricky Rodriguez and Francesca Hernandez, for whom she acted as a mentor for. After the film, Lopez went on to have a short but varied career. Lopez went on to star in the musical film,  _ Dreams in the Stars _ , a musical about a couple going to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams. Lopez won a Tony for this role. Lopez later starred in a horror film produced by Claire Woods titled,  _ Bathory _ , as a servant girl to the titular villain, Elizabeth Bathory. Unlike Lopez’s previous role as a servant girl, Lopez was the protagonist of the film, even surviving to the end of the film. The film is considered a cult classic for horror movie fans and was remade in 2012 with Naya Rivera playing Lopez’s iconic role. Following this Lopez co-starred in the 1967 film,  _ Castaway _ , as a dashing pirate who falls in love with a man played by Jack Costello found floating in the ocean. For this role, Lopez won her first and only Oscar. Lopez died of brain cancer in 1994. The Lopez Scholarship Fund was named in her honor.

Francesca Hernandez co-stars as the young daughter in  _ Dreams in the Snake _ . She was born to a third generation Mexican-American family who unfortunately died when Hernandez was thirteen. At age fourteen, Hernandez ran away from her foster home and went to Los Angeles to become a star. She landed a role in  _ Dreams in the Snake _ as the teenage daughter. While filming Dreams in the Snake, it was discovered Hernandez was a homeless runaway. Co-star Ricky Rodriguez took her in and when accused of taking advantage of Hernandez, came out as homosexual. Hernandez was grateful to him, even allowing herself to become adopted by Rodriguez. She also had a close relationship with her other co-star, Millie Hernandez, who gave Hernandez tips on how to survive in the business. Hernandez quit the film industry in her teen years to get an education and returned to the business after graduation. She co-starred in the film,  _ Girl of Flight _ , a film about an aspiring female pilot. Hernandez later became a television actress and star of her own show,  _ Big Business _ , a comedy about office life. The show was nominated for four Primetime Emmys and won one. Hernandez established the  _ Kingsnake Foundation _ for orphans of color in the US and named each building after her parents. She adopted two children, Estella Amelia and Gomez Richard named after her parents and her  _ Dreams in the Snake _ co-stars. Hernandez died of stomach cancer in 2001.

In 1972 the first all Native American cast film was released from Ace Studios titled,  _ Fallen Truth _ . The studios greenlit the film due to Native American occupation on Alcatraz in 1969 and wanted to show their support. Production was delayed because of protests and budget restrictions so the film was released in 1972. The film starred Mohawk actress Kawennahere Rice as Reyna, a girl investigating her town’s sudden mysterious illness, and Tlingit-Koyukon actor Matthew Sensmeier as her brother, Ed, trying to keep her out of harm’s way. The film is significant in the fact that this is the first time Native American actors not only portrayed by Native Americans but were also the main characters of said film. Before this, non-Indigenous actors would portray Native Americans in order to play the lead or Native American actors would play background characters in Westerns. The film won Best Screenplay and Rice was nominated for Best Actress.

Kawennahere Rice went on to have a successful career including playing the titular character of  _ Tiger Lily _ , the tale of  _ Peter Pan _ told through Tiger Lily’s eyes, and cult classic,  _ Fallen Wind _ , a film about a woman haunted by her past and  _ Missing Dream _ , a film produced by her  _ Fallen Truth _ co star Matthew Sensmeier. Rice later came out as ‘queer’ and married childhood friend, Jessica McLean, when marriage was legalized in June 1995 on the set of McClean’s film,  _ Night of Wind _ . Rice stated, “Time was of the essence as we did not know when or if the decision would have been striked down. Neither of us had really expected it but we had an officiator on set the same day so we married right then and there. I was dressed in my pajamas and had a full face of makeup while she was still in her character’s clothes. We held a real ceremony a year later with our friends and family.” Rice established  _ The Longhouse Foundation  _ in 1988, a foundation dedicated to Native American artwork including film and sculptures. Rice will star in the film  _ Destiny’s Spirit _ , a film about ranchers entering a horse race in 2021.

Matthew Sensmeier went on to co-star in the film,  _ Darkness of a Boy _ as the protagonist’s best friend. He starred in the sequel after many positive receptions to his character. Sensmeier went on to play the romantic lead in the 1980 film,  _ Tying the Knot _ , the first time a Native American man was depicted as a love interest. The film remains an 80s cult classic. He also starred in the action film,  _ The Azure Sons _ , political thriller,  _ The Bridges of the Tower _ , and Western,  _ Time in the Heat _ . Sensmeier married model Janis Midthunder on the set of  _ Tying the Knot  _ and has two children with her. Sensmeier became a producer for Ace Studios, whose movies star Native American actors. Sensmeier produced the film  _ Missing Dream _ , starring his  _ Fallen Truth  _ co-star, Kawennahere Rice. Sensmeier is a member of the Native Wellness Institute and a mental health activist. The Sensmeier Scholarship, a scholarship for people of Indigenous ancestry who want to study film, is dedicated to him.

Laverne Mock was the first Black Transgender woman to appear in a major studio production in the 2007 film,  _ Sew What? _ Mock was born in Lima Heights, Ohio in 1975 and Mock landed the role of Marina Hills, the best friend to an aspiring fashion designer played by Anna Faris. The film itself received mixed reviews but Mock received high praise for her portrayal of Marina Hills. Though her acting was praised, Mock struggled to find work. The roles she did get however relegated her to the spot of ‘best friend’. This changed in 2014 when Mock was casted as the lead of the ABC miniseries,  _ Criminal Law _ . The miniseries lasted for a total of ten episodes and Mock was awarded a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Presently, Mock is the television host of the _ Laverne Mock Show _ and has a role in the latest installment of  _ Fast and Furious _ . 

Hollywood has a long way to go in terms of being completely accepting of people of all backgrounds. But as we look at how far we have come since  _ Meg _ hit theaters, we cannot help but appreciate it even more.  _ Meg _ changed the course of history with its groundbreaking cinematography, plot, cast, and message. How could you imagine a world without  _ Meg _ ?

**Author's Note:**

> Avery Costello was originally going to be named Avis but Claire changed it to Avery because she thought Jack would be uncomfortable with it. Claire was also hella gay for Camille and nothing you do can change my mind.
> 
> My major gripe with the show was that the actresses, no matter who they were, did not get enough character development or in terms of Claire, characterization, compared to the men so I tried to fix that with their histories.
> 
> Rock Hudson died of reasons related to AIDS but I wanted to give him a happy ending.
> 
> I did not think it would be totally realistic if Hollywood and America were fixed in the end so I made Rose Dolina give up acting because of death threats. I did want to give her a happy ending though so I made her a costume designer whose work is so good it’s in a museum.
> 
> Stephan Hamilton is the unnamed character listening to Archie win Best Screenplay. I was going to include one of the Asian children and the Black girl listening to the radio but I didn’t want to do the math that it would take for them to become adults and if they would see their idols before their deaths. Just assume they became politicians and fixed America.
> 
> New York Academy of Dramatic Arts is a fictional school from Glee. I grew up thinking it was real and was today years old when I found out it wasn’t. But this is a Ryan Murphy Cinematic Universe production so I included it anyway.
> 
> Laverne Mock is based on Janet Mock, the director of Hollywood episodes, and Laverne Cox. It seems pretty realistic to me that a transgender person would get representation much later in life compared to other minorities but I still bumped up the timeline so Meg did make a huge difference in making America more progressive. Also Lima Heights, Ohio is where Glee takes place so I thought that was a cute Easter egg.


End file.
